A certain villager owned a myna bird, which he painstakingly taught to speak, and the bird learned remarkably well.

Whenever the villager traveled, he always took the myna with him; they spent several years as companions.

One day, the villager journeyed to Jiangzhou, very far from home, and finding himself completely out of funds and distressed with no solution, the myna chirped, "Why not sell me? If I am sold into the Prince's manor, I will fetch a fine price, and you will have no worries about travel money to get home." The villager replied, "I cannot bear to part with you." The myna insisted, "It is fine.

Once the master has the money, leave immediately, and wait for me beneath the great tree twenty li west of the city." The villager agreed.

He took the myna into the city and began putting on a show, engaging in question-and-answer routines with the bird, drawing a large crowd of onlookers.

Among them was a wealthy nobleman who reported the spectacle to the Prince, who immediately summoned the villager, intending to purchase the myna.

The villager declared, "The bird and I rely on each other for sustenance; I am unwilling to sell." The Prince then addressed the bird, "Are you willing to stay here?" The myna replied, "I am willing to stay." The Prince was overjoyed.

The bird then added, "Give me ten liang of silver, no more." The Prince was even more delighted, promptly offering ten liang of pure silver.

The villager feigned regret, bid farewell, and departed.

The Prince conversed with the myna; the bird responded fluently and demanded meat to eat.

After the meal, the myna announced, "This servant requires a bath." The Prince ordered water to be placed in a golden basin, opened the birdcage, and allowed the myna to bathe.

Once clean, the bird flew to the eaves, preening its feathers while incessantly chattering with the Prince.

Soon enough, its plumage dried, and the myna fluttered up, speaking with a distinct Shanxi accent, saying, "This servant takes his leave." With a beat of its wings, it soared upward.

In the time it took the Prince to blink, the bird had vanished without a trace.

The guards within the Prince's manor exchanged bewildered glances and rushed out to search for the villager, but he had disappeared without a trace.

Later, travelers passing through Shaanxi reported having seen the villager traveling the streets of Xi'an, the bird perched beside him.

Note: Qúyù () is the term for a myna bird.